Into the weekend

From Carissa

Detective stories have always fascinated me. My husband even goes so far as to say I should have become a forensic pathologist. TV shows like Criminal Minds, Law & Order, and CSI fill my DVR. I was also one of the million-plus listeners to Serial, the podcast sensation of October 2014. I would listen to it on the commute to work, on my lunch break, even recount the latest episodes with coworkers. Now the news that Adnan Syed is in a hearing that may offer him a chance at a second trial, after already serving sixteen years in prison. Sad as this story is, I’m definitely interested to see how his it unfolds.

Melissa and I sometimes go back to dreaming about moving to to a beautiful chateau in the French countryside. I follow an Australian family that made such a move, purchasing a 300-year old chateau in 2013. They talk about their journey restoring the interior, exterior, and park around the chateau on their blog and Instagram account.

When I find myself getting into a packed lunch rut, I scour other mommy blogs for creative ideas. Wendy has many ideas for bento box lunches on her blog Wendolonia. She even wrote a book. With two kids who have different likes and dislikes (and allergies!) I can always get some new recipes to add to our lunch repertoire.

From Melissa

While I’ve focused more on graphic design than interior design in the past few years, I still feel passionate about sustainable, affordable housing. These $20,000 homes designed by Auburn University’s Rural Studio are beautiful in their simplicity. However, what’s equally interesting is how they are working to solve adjacent problems like zoning, financing, and builder’s costs.

With my first pregnancy, I heard a lot of scary stories about hospitals and doctors rushing women to induce labor or get C-sections, even with low risk for complications. According to this article, C-section rates in the U.S. have gone up 50% in the last 15 years. Thankfully, certain hospitals are dedicated to lowering their rates and being more patient with labor. As someone who went through nearly 40 hours of labor, I was grateful for the patience of my doctors and nurses. When I was close to giving birth, my nurse insisted on staying by my side even though her shift had ended an hour before. She told me she wasn’t leaving until the baby arrived.

Lunar New Year is fast approaching, and I’ve been looking for simple, tasty recipes to have at home (seeing as all our favorite Asian restaurants will be closed). Chef Danielle Chang shows how to cook a beautiful steamed whole snapper (its red color is good luck for the New Year), with a light salad of cilantro and tofu.